Carrie Fisher Remembered

Carrie Fisher’s death in December 2016, at the age of just 60, came as a great shock to all movie fans, particularly to those who loved the movie for which she was most famous, Star Wars, in which she played Princess Leia.

Carrie Fisher was born in Beverley Hills, California, on 21st October 1956. She was the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. As well as being an actress, she was also a screenwriter, producer, author and public speaker.

Fisher made her screen debut in the Columbia Pictures comedy Shampoo (1975), which also starred Warren Beattie, Goldie Hawn and Julie Christie. But it was in 1977 that she really came to the movie-going public’s attention, when she landed the part of Princess Leia in George Lucas’s sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars. She also went on to reprise her role of Princess Leia in a number of Star Wars sequels.

Some other top movies in which Fisher starred are The Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and The Burbs (1989).

Fisher published her autobiography, entitled The Princess Diarist, in 2016, in which she wrote that she had a three-month affair with Harrison Ford during the filming of Star Wars in 1976.

In addition to all her writing and acting work, Fisher was also one of the major script doctors in Hollywood. She read and gave constructive feedback on the screenplays of other writers. She even did unaccredited polishes on various movies from 1991 to 2005.

Fisher did the voiceover for Peter Griffin’s boss, Angela, in the animated sitcom Family Guy. She also appeared in a book of photographs entitled Hollywood Moms (2001), for which she wrote the introduction.

In 2016, Fisher was given the Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism by Harvard College.

Towards the end of her life, Fisher owned a French Bulldog Therapy animal called Gary. She would always bring him along to her various interviews and appearances.

Shortly before her tragic death, Fisher had just completed filming her role as Leia in Star Wars: Episode VIII. She was also due to reprise her role in Star Wars: Episode IX, the filming of which was due to start in spring 2017. Ambiguity has now arisen in regard to what the producers will do with the Leia character.

Carrie Fisher died on 27th December 2016, four days after suffering a cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles. She is survived by her daughter Billie Lourd, her mother Debbie Reynolds, her brother Todd Fisher, and her half-sisters Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher.